Spanish tennis player Rafael Jodar has vehemently denied pushing a ball girl during his third-round victory at the French Open, an incident that sparked debate after footage circulated online.
The moment, captured between sets of his match against American Alex Michelsen on Friday, showed Jodar throwing a water bottle into his box just as a ball girl walked into his path. While social media footage appeared inconclusive, the girl momentarily lost her footing before regaining balance.
Jodar was quick to dismiss any suggestion of contact.
“I didn’t touch her,” he stated. “No, no, no. I could never do that.”
He explained that he was gesturing to his father, who was in his player’s box, to hand him items after a toilet break.
“I didn’t push her or anything. I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back,” Jodar clarified after the match.
“She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she, like, fell, but not because I push(ed) her.”
The 27th seed attributed the ball girl’s stumble to the court cover.
“It was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards, she fell with that,” he said, emphasising his respect for the young helpers.
“I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. I know it’s difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there, so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ball kid.”
Despite the controversy, Jodar went on to secure a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory, advancing to the fourth round of a major tournament for the first time in his career.
Following his win on Friday, Jodar will now face fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the next round for a place in the quarter-finals.
This year’s men’s tournament will see a new grand slam champion crowned after Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by Joao Fonseca on Friday evening at Roland Garros.
